Communication at work is starting to feel artificial. In this episode, we break down how leaders can use human fluency to build trust, create psychological safety, and communicate with clarity without losing professionalism.

Have you ever left a meeting wondering if anyone actually said what they meant?

If so, you're not alone. Remote work, AI tools, and the pressure to “sound professional” are creating communication that looks polished on the outside but lacks honesty on the inside. And when communication feels more like performance than collaboration, team dynamics break down, trust erodes, and even your best employees start pulling back.

In this episode, I’m joined by Nadine Lavigne to talk about human fluency and why it’s becoming one of the most important skills in modern leadership.
If you want to fix a toxic culture, rebuild trust, communicate with more confidence, and create psychological safety without becoming overly casual or losing authority, this conversation is for you.

Last week, we talked about rebuilding trust when workplace drama takes over a team.
This week, we’re taking the next step and getting to the root of why communication feels strained on so many teams right now.

We unpack what it actually looks like to sound like a human at work again so you can lead more effective meetings, handle conflict with confidence, and build a team that communicates honestly instead of politely.

BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL LEARN:
 • Why leaders today need human fluency to build trust, connection, and credibility
• How to stay authentic without losing authority or professionalism
• Simple communication shifts that create psychological safety and reduce conflict
• The role AI can play in improving—not replacing—real human leadership
• Why “polite” teams often struggle more with accountability, follow-through, and conflict
• How human fluency helps you handle difficult employees and fix communication breakdowns
• New manager tips you can use immediately to improve team conversations, clarity, and expectations

Connect with Nadine on LinkedIn 

Nadine Lavigne is a partner in the Talent Development space, a leadership coach, speaker, facilitator and founder of BeREAL Partners.With over 20 years in corporate leadership roles at

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Your team finally hits its stride, but how do you keep it that way? Learn the simple mindset that prevents conflict before it starts, builds trust fast, and keeps meetings focused. Practical scripts you can use today. 

Last week we talked about five steps to turn workplace drama into team trust. The week before that, how to handle a negative employee. Today we protect those gains by shifting how you show up, before issues grow.

Teams slip back into artificial harmony, side conversations, and missed expectations. Leaders either jump to conclusions or avoid hard talks, and meetings drag without decisions. 

Pain points
 • Circular, low-energy meetings and quiet disengagement
 • Second-guessing intentions and reacting to incomplete stories
 • Pressure to have all the answers as a new manager 

Solution
 Lead with curiosity. Desiree breaks it into four practical habits you can model and coach:

1. Assume positive intent to create space before you respond.
2. Encourage the right kind of conflict so passion fuels progress, not drama.
3. Test the story you’re telling yourself to get out of assumptions and into facts.
4. Ask better, smaller questions like “What am I missing?”, “What does success look like for you?”, and “What’s getting in your way?”, so people own the outcome.

You’ll also hear how personality wiring (DISC and Working Genius) affects your default reactions, and why curiosity beats certainty when you want a team that’s engaged, accountable, and drama-free. 

Key Takeaways
 • Curiosity before conclusions keeps conflict constructive.
 • Treat conflict as feedback to solve the real issue, not the symptoms.
 • Small, open questions unlock clarity, buy-in, and faster decisions.

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Workplace conflict doesn’t just disappear, it spreads. Learn five practical steps to rebuild trust, strengthen communication, and fix a toxic culture so your team can perform at its best.

If you’ve ever walked into a meeting and felt the tension before anyone said a word, this episode is for you.

When workplace drama turns into silence, gossip, or passive-aggressive behavior, you’re not just managing conflict, you’re managing culture.

In this episode of You’re the Boss, Now What?, leadership coach Desiree Petrich shares the five steps she uses when she’s brought in to help teams rebuild trust and communication after conflict has taken root.

You’ll learn how to transform team tension into connection and turn uncomfortable conversations into meaningful progress. These are the same frameworks Desiree uses inside her leadership coaching and team development workshops, designed to help leaders protect their team’s energy and build healthy, high-performing workplaces.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How to identify when workplace tension has turned into toxicity
• The right way to “clear the air” without losing control of the conversation
• How self-awareness and behavioral tools (like DISC or Working Genius) reduce friction
• Why creating a shared team language makes accountability easier
• How vulnerability and consistency build long-term trust
• A simple monthly rhythm to keep conflict healthy and communication strong

Key Takeaways

• Conflict handled early builds trust. Avoiding it just builds resentment.
• Awareness dissolves drama. When people understand each other, tension loses power.
• Trust is a practice, not a project. It’s built through consistent, honest conversations.

Leadership Game Questions

• What are three things our team does well, and what are three things we could do better? 
• What is one challenge we are currentlyl facing as a team? What can we change in ourselves to improve our situation? 
• What group of people do we need to be more intentional about listening to? (Employees / Clients / Customers / Shareholders / Ambassadors / etc.)
• What makes a day successful for you? 

"Keep the Conversation Going" Questions

1. What's working? 

2. Where are we drifting from who we said we'd b

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One negative employee can tank performance by 30 to 40 percent. Learn how to tell the difference between realism and pessimism, protect team dynamics, and know when it’s time to let someone go with confidence.

 Last week we talked about imposter syndrome, storytelling, and executive presence with a communication Matt Mosich. This week we shift from the stories in your head to the stories on your team.

If you’ve inherited a high performer who drags down morale, you’re not alone. Many first-time managers avoid action because conflict feels risky and backfilling is hard. Meanwhile, your best people consider leaving.

In this episode, we unpack the root causes behind “negativity” and why not all pushback is toxic. You’ll learn how to spot the difference between a realist who’s trying to protect the team and a pessimist who drains it, how to coach for better behavior, and how to document impact so HR conversations are clear and actionable. You’ll also get three reflection questions to help you decide if it’s time to let someone go.

Key Takeaways
 • Realism vs pessimism: identify intent, not just tone, so you don’t label constructive risk checks as negativity.

 • Coachable or contagious: use behavior impact and willingness to change to decide your next step.

 • Protect the team’s energy: leaders keep culture by addressing harmful behavior early and documenting impact, not just attitude.

 Want help understanding your team’s default styles so meetings stop derailing and decisions stick? Take a quick self-awareness assessment and explore DISC or Working Genius for your team at intentionalaction.net/self-awareness.

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If you’ve ever felt like you don’t belong in your leadership role — or that you’re just “faking it” — you’re not alone.
 This episode will show you how to stop letting imposter syndrome run the show and start leading with presence and authority.

Matt, an executive communication and storytelling coach, shares how he went from hiding behind self-doubt to helping CEOs and founders find their voice — and how you can do the same.

By the time you finish listening, you’ll discover:

• How to identify the stories holding you back and rewrite them
• What confidence actually is and how to access it before any meeting
• A simple storytelling framework to build trust fast with your team

Key Takeaways

• Confidence isn’t a feeling — it’s a choice you practice daily.
• Your story shapes how you lead. Rewrite it to reflect the leader you’re becoming.
• Storytelling builds trust faster than authority alone ever could.

Connect with Matt on Linkedin 

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Buy the book - Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

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Part two of our energy mini-series! Learn five glucose hacks to help first-time managers stay focused, avoid the afternoon crash, and lead their teams with steady energy all day long.

Listen to Part 1: New Manager Tips for Better Sleep to Make You a More Confident and In-Control Manager

Last week we talked about how sleep impacts your energy as a leader.
This week, we’re tackling the other half of the equation—what’s actually happening in your body all day that makes you tired, irritable, and unfocused.

If you’ve ever hit that 2 p.m. crash, snapped at a teammate, or reached for another cup of coffee to power through, this episode is for you.

We will talk about five practical glucose-stabilizing hacks that help you sustain your energy, sharpen your focus, and lead your team with more patience and presence. You’ll learn how blood sugar impacts your mood, motivation, and ability to manage effectively, and what you can do about it starting today.

By the end, you’ll see how managing your energy isn’t just a wellness trend, it’s leadership development in action. Because when your energy dips, so does your influence.

Key Takeaways

• How glucose spikes drain your patience, focus, and confidence at work
• Five sustainable habits to prevent the afternoon crash: savory breakfast, food order, post-meal movement, pairing carbs with protein, and the apple cider vinegar trick
• Why steady energy makes you a calmer, more consistent leader who builds trust and holds employees accountable

Links As Promised!

Glucose Goddess on Instagram

Glucose Revolution Book 

Glucose Goddes

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New managers don’t need another hack, they need sleep that supports leadership. Sleep coach Morgan Adams shares simple circadian rhythm habits so you show up clear-minded, calm, and confident at work.

Last week we talked about building trust and holding employees accountable with effective one-on-ones. This week, we’re zooming out: your energy and focus start long before the meeting, while you sleep.

Struggling to lead with confidence because you’re exhausted, foggy, or short-tempered? New managers often try more coffee, later nights, and weekend catch-up. That’s not Coaching for Managers, it’s burnout on repeat.

Here’s the fix: strengthen your circadian rhythm. In this Leadership Podcast for New Managers, sleep coach Morgan Adams breaks down manager-friendly habits that reduce 3 a.m. wakeups, stabilize energy, and help you run better team meetings, hold employees accountable, and handle conflict without snapping.

By the time you finish listening, you’ll learn:
 • Why “bright days, dark nights” is the simplest way to reset your sleep and leadership focus
 • The MEQ chronotype quiz and how to schedule team meetings for better Team Dynamics
 • Seven daily habits that improve sleep quality and office performance: morning light, dim evenings, consistent wake time (even on weekends), smart napping rules, cool-dark-quiet bedroom setup, five-minute “mindfulness snacks,” and a high-protein breakfast to stabilize glucose
 • How social jet lag wrecks Monday mornings (and what to do instead)
 • When blue-light glasses help, when they don’t, and what to buy to avoid cheap knockoffs
 • How steady glucose curbs afternoon crashes so you can lead effective team meetings and coach Difficult Employees without losing your patience

Key Takeaways
 • Consistency beats hacks: a regular sleep-wake window improves decision-making, patience, and How to Be a Better Manager.
 • Align work with people: know your team’s chronotypes to reduce burnout, improve Team Dynamics, and How to Lead Effective Team Meetings.
 • Stabilize energy: protein-forward mornings and fewer spikes help you hold employees accountable and handle conflict at work as a manager.

Up next: I read Glucose Revolution so you don’t have to—how steady glucose gives new managers more all-day energy

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Last week we talked about accountability and why trust is the foundation for holding employees accountable. This week, let’s get practical.

The problem? One-on-ones often feel awkward, get canceled, or turn into quick status updates. Managers end up doing all the talking, rushing through them, or skipping them entirely until annual reviews roll around. The result? Frustration, missed opportunities, and a team that doesn’t feel supported.

The solution? Structure your one-on-ones so they build trust, create connection, and drive accountability. In this episode, I walk you through what managers get wrong — and 5 simple steps you can use to make your meetings actually matter.

Key Takeaways

• One-on-ones are for coaching and trust, not status updates
• A repeatable 5-step structure turns awkward meetings into growth conversations
• Written commitments at the end create accountability without micromanaging

Subscribe and Follow for new manager tips, coaching for managers, and strategies on how to lead effective team meetings. If you found this episode helpful, leave a quick review so other new managers can find this leadership podcast.

Episode Links 

• The Trust About Employee Engagement - 3 Tools to Engage Your Team 
• I Read "Death By Meeting" So You Don't Have To 

Coaching for Managers, Desiree Petrich, First-Time Manager Podcast, Leadership Podcast for New Managers, Team Dynamics, How to Build Trust as a Manager, How to Hold Employees Accountable, How to Be a Better Manager, How to Lead Effective Team Meetings, New Manager Tips.

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Buy the book - Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

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Ever feel like managing a team means carrying everyone’s mistakes, conflicts, and missed deadlines on your shoulders? You’re not alone. Many first-time managers fall into people-pleasing, micromanaging, or doing the work themselves instead of coaching their team. That weight leads to burnout, toxic culture, and imposter syndrome in leadership.

But managing isn’t about fixing, it’s about building. In this episode, Desiree Petrich unpacks how to build a team that feels like a community: one built on trust, productive conflict, real commitment, and shared accountability. You’ll learn how to apply Patrick Lencioni’s 5 Dysfunctions of a Team, why the Platinum Rule matters for team dynamics, and how to overcome the fears that keep managers from holding employees accountable.

By the time you finish listening, you’ll learn:

• Why new managers avoid accountability conversations—and the exact scripts to use instead
• How to apply trust, conflict, and commitment to build accountability that sticks
• Ways to use the Platinum Rule to adapt your leadership style to different team members

Additional Links:
• Self-Awareness Assessments to use in Team Development

• Listen to the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team Recap episode 

• Listen to the 5 Love Languages Episode 

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Buy the book - Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

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Do you ever feel like posting on LinkedIn is only for job seekers or entrepreneurs?

That belief is holding you back. The truth is, your presence online is your modern-day resume, and the confidence it builds spills into every corner of your leadership.

In this conversation with Liam Darmody, founder of Liam’s Brandstand, we dig into why building your personal brand is less about “playing the algorithm” and more about learning who you are as a leader. You’ll hear how Liam went from reluctant poster to confident thought leader—and how that same shift can happen for you.

By the time you finish listening, you’ll discover:

• Why building a personal brand matters even if you’re not looking for a new job
• How posting regularly helps you grow self-confidence and visibility at work
• What happens when you stop following “the rules” and start showing up authentically

This episode is a reminder that leadership isn’t just what you do in the office, it’s also how you show up in the world.

Connect with Liam
liamsbrandstand.com

Liam Darmody's LinkedIn 

Sign up for Liam's Newsletter 

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Buy the book - Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

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Coachin...